Role: Research Associate in Green Infrastructure and Housing
Grade and Salary: Grade 7, £37,694 - £47,389 per annum
FTE and working pattern: 1FTE, 35hrs per week, Monday - Friday
Contract: 23 Months, Fixed Term
Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)
Purpose of Role
The Research Associate will work on the EPSRC funded BuildWell Network: Reimaging Future Housing Developments for Health and Sustainability project which aims to connect diverse disciplines and industries relating to residential housing development and the benefits of Green Infrastructure and Space on health, wellbeing, water management and other multiple benefits. The project is a collaboration between Heriot Watt University and the University of York and Northumbria University.
The successful applicant will be based at the Institute of the Sustainable Built Environment at Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh. They will be responsible for co-ordinating the network, organising workshops and network activities, as well as conducting research on the outputs and wider literature. They will learn a range of novel participatory methods including housing estate site visits, and plug and play scaled models to work with network members to think about how housing developments are designed and built for health, wellbeing and sustainability benefits. They will be responsible for producing a range of project outputs, including journal papers, gap analysis and policy briefs.
You should have a PhD in a related field, including Geography, Environmental Science, Civil Engineering and have interests in Green Infrastructure and Urban Planning. Applicants must also have excellent co-ordinating, stakeholder engagement and literature review skills, and proven capability in the use of data handling software and GIS. Knowledge of the wide benefits of Green Infrastructure for health and wellbeing, flood and water management and biodiversity is important. Enthusiasm for fieldwork and working in a team are important.
Key Duties & Responsibilities
* Assist in building the BuildWell network, and responsibility for coordinating network activities.
* Conduct and disseminate original research aligned with the project and in collaboration with the team, consisting of literature reviews and network activity outputs analysis.
* Work closely with senior decision makers in the industry to enable a programme of work and the measurement of this
* Work as part of the broader BuildWell team to help organize events and/ or support the work of the team as needed
* Contribute to outreach and impact engagement activities of the project
* Identify appropriate sources of funding and help prepare research proposals for funding bodies
* Demonstrate initiative in making routine decisions in order to manage and achieve project deliverables and deadlines
* Participate in, and develop, networks and collaborations both internally and externally to the Division/School /University
* Any other duties, commensurate with the grade of the post
Essential & Desirable Criteria
Essential Criteria
Qualifications
* PhD in relevant discipline (or close to successful completion)
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
* Evidence of a developing publication record
* Experience or desire to work with those from other disciplines
* Evidence of excellent administrative and project management skills
* Evidence of self-motivation and the ability to work independently
* Evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills
* Excellent time management skills including the ability to prioritise workload
Desirable Criteria
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
* Evidence of success in attracting research grants/external funding and delivering on externally funded research projects
* Evidence or knowledge to support international activities
How to Apply
Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Tuesday 21 st October 2025.
Please submit your CV & covering letter via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment.
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part-time working and job share options.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers .
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About Heriot-Watt University
At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.
Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.